


graveyard shadows

by Xamem



Series: Stardeween [4]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Gen, Monsters, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 05:24:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21230522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xamem/pseuds/Xamem
Summary: Maeve notices something lurking in the graveyard - a hint of a footprint, a whisper of a shadow, and decides to investigate the monster. Stardeween Day 5: Monster Sighting.





	graveyard shadows

It was nearly two in the morning, and while it wasn’t unusual for Maeve to be up that late, it _was _unusual that she was hanging out at the graveyard. She’d spent the last five nights here, trying to catch a glimpse of… _something_. She wasn’t sure yet what that something was, but she suspected it wasn’t human. The best salmonberries grew in that soil, bright red and juicy. She’d been gathering what she suspected would be the last harvest before the summer heat rolled in when she’d noticed a footprint. This wouldn’t have been that unusual – after all, she had noticed Abigail frequently hung out in the graveyard, and a few other denizens visited periodically, but this footprint couldn’t belong to them. It only had two toes.

Two long toes, almost as long as the foot itself. She could think of no creature in the forest that would make that kind of footprint, and she wanted to see for herself.

Maeve was poised perfectly still under a bush near the river, with an optimal view of the graveyard. Her dark purple hair was pulled back, and she’d dabbed mud into a rudimentary camouflage – though she hadn’t really needed it with her already dark skin and lack of light on the street. By now the Saloon had long since shut down, and even Lewis’ light had gone out, light sleeper that he was. It was just her and the crickets, the springtime frogs, the gently flowing river. It was almost enough to lull her to sleep.

Almost but for the sudden flit of a shadow in her periphery. Her survival instincts instantly had her on the alert. Within the second a knife was in her hand and she was in position to run.

She squatted there, motionless, thighs burning from the effort of holding her position, when the crack of a branch caught her attention. _There_. A crack couldn’t tell her much, but it was light – the creature likely wasn’t large. She was willing to hedge a bet that she could take the thing in a fight. Without a second thought she lunged for the approximate area she thought she’d heard the sound coming from, aiming to tackle. She tumbled through bush and slightly sticky mud from the rain earlier that day only to land on her face, having come in contact with nothing solid.

Maeve sprang back up, muttering a few curses as she did so. _Nothing too serious, _she thought to herself, noting that one scratch on her thigh was a little deep, but the bleeding would likely stop on its own. She could disinfect it back home. She strained her ears for more sounds, pushed her eyes to the limit trying to identify every miniscule shadow. There was nothing. She glanced at the moon, or what was left of it, shedding what bit of light it could. Almost three, at this point, and she had to admit she was starting to feel hopeless. Perhaps the woods were playing tricks on her. If she were home, she would blame her cousins of the night, who seemed to live only to torment others for their amusement.

But they couldn’t reach her here, and whatever did clearly wasn’t going to show herself. She began the long walk to the humble farmhouse she’d set up. _One more night, _she thought, _one more night, and then I’ll give up._

* * *

The next night, Maeve had set out a basket of the salmonberries that she’d collected a few days earlier. They looked almost ready to burst, and just looking at them was making her hungry – none of her first crops had turned out that well, even with magic. She was learning, but the Valley Mother always knew best – which bushes needed more water, which ones needed squirrels to pick off the extra fruit. She planned on observing some of the wild blackberry bushes come summertime, really figure out how they thrived.

In any case, what wild creature could say no to a basket of fresh salmonberries? She’d set up closer, so she wouldn’t end up face-down in the mud again if she made her move. Now she had to wait.

This night the moon was gone, hidden away from prying eyes, and Maeve could barely see the outline of the basket, even if it was practically under her nose. One hour passed. Another. She could feel her eyes beginning to droop again, with nearly a week of sleeplessness starting to catch up with her. She blinked slowly once, twice, three times, and she noticed it – one of the berries was gone, and the basket was obscured in shadow.

Wide awake now and in hunting mode, she made the leap and reached for the figure. Again, her hands were met with nothing; the basket tumbled over, and she landed awkwardly next to it.

“Yoba, am I starting to see things?” she muttered. “Have I well and truly gone mad?” She shook her head, disgusted with herself. What an absolute waste of time, when she could’ve been collecting useful information. She could’ve been spying on Lewis. She could’ve been combing the mines. Instead she was out here, chasing wisps.

“Y-you’re not seeing things.” A little voice, to her left, shaking slightly. She froze. Was she imagining that too? “Can I trust you?”

Why not indulge her fantasy? At least then she would know what her brain had been conjuring. “Yes, little creature. I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to know what you are.”

Her hallucination didn’t answer, and she thought for a moment that even her mind was over her imagination, when she saw the small figure appear in front of her. Her original assessment hadn’t been wrong – it _was _a shadow figure, coming up to her hips, with the pronged foot that must have been responsible for the print. Maeve’s heart began to race. This was a shadow creature – a monster that had obliterated the dwarves and almost brought war to her people, long before she was born. She’d heard stories of the valiant fae who had managed to trick the shadow people, who had used light to turn the battle to their favor.

“My name is Krobus.” He wasn’t a particularly intimidating creature. In addition to the height, he had a curl on his head that could only be called cute. He didn’t _look _like a warmonger. But still, one could never be too cautious.

“I’m Maeve.” She smiled and offered a tentative finger. Krobus grasped it with both of his hands. “So, what are you doing out here, Krobus? And in the dead of night?”

“I can’t go out in the daylight. My shadow is very sensitive to the light. Only on really rainy days, and even then usually only in the winter. But at night I’m free to roam as I please. I kind of prefer it that way, anyways,” he said, ringing his hands together. The whole time he refused to look Maeve in the eye, instead preferring to focus intensely on the salmonberry in his hands. “People are big and scary. And they’re even scarier when they’re afraid of something they don’t know.” He sighed, a heavier sigh than something so small should have been able to create.

“I’m sorry.” Maeve scratched the back of Krobus’ head, and he hummed softly, crawling into her lap, similar to the cat Marnie had dumped on her. He was surprisingly warm, for something made of shadow. She sat back and looked at the stars, twinkling bright at them, almost laughing, and wondered how she could have thought this precious creature could have been a monster.

**Author's Note:**

> i LOVE krobus.... he is BABY. thanks for reading! i love comments, kudos, anything you feel like leaving. have a good day. :)


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